31 Days 2 Get You Started! January 9: Do it Before You’re Ready. Do it Now!
Because, guess what: you’ll never be ready. There will always be an excellent reason to hesitate and then suddenly, 5 years of your life had passed you by as you were making to-do lists and planing to get started. Meanwhile, someone younger than you, some kid too stupid to be scared, has done what you are dreaming of, and you’re left to think,”…wait, that schmuck…??” And you’re stuck making excuses.
Excuses are boring. Excuses are like the those horrible boyfriends you had in high school or college, no money, no social skills, who at the time you thought were adorable, but now in hindsight, the realization that you defended them to your friends is mortifying. Oy. Don’t encourage your excuses, because they’ll just keep coming back and wasting more of your time. So just do it, whatever that “it” is, today. Right now.
I started a business years—literally, years—before I was ready. I knew so little of what I was letting myself in for, and really, thank god. Ignorance is bliss. Thank god I didn’t know how miserable being self-employed can be, or else I would never have gotten started. If I had had any idea of all the strum und drang awaiting me, I would have run for the hills. So I just got started, and as I was ready to learn more, I did. Despite what my parents told me for years, I’m not special. Stubborn and determined as hell yes, but special, nah, not really. If I did it, you can definitely do it, especially since I’m still figuring it out as I go.
But to be able to achieve whatever it is that’s calling your name, whatever it is in your heart, you have to get started. Don’t worry about being ready, you’ll never be ready. Just get started. Do what you can and tomorrow you’ll be able to do more. I promise.